Folding carton consisting of a strip of sheet material folded to form a tube and provided with end walls

ABSTRACT

A folding carton comprising a blank of sheet material folded to form a tube having at least one plane side wall and at least at one end of the tube an end wall. The end wall consists of a flap cut out in the plane side wall of the tube and folded an angle of 180* along a first fold line towards and beyond the end of the tube and then is folded along a second fold line to cover the end of the tube.

United States Patent Stranicky [54] FOLDING CARTON CONSISTING OF A STRIPOF SHEET MATERIAL FOLDED TO FORM A TUBE AND PROVIDED WITH END WALLS [72]Inventor: Fedor Stranicky, Solna, Sweden [73] Assignee: AB SvenskIndustris Konstruktlons-och Berakningskontor Slkob, Solna, Sweden [22]Filed: June 12, 1970 [2]] Appl. No.: 45,776

[30] Foreign Application Priority Date June 12, i969 Sweden ..8396/69Oct. 17, 1969 Sweden ..14307/69 [52] 0.8. Ci ..229/37 R, 229/28 R [5 l]Int. Cl ..B65d 5/02 [58] Field ofSearch ..229/37, 16 R, 27, 16 D, 28R

" [451 Apr. 4, 1972 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS2,875,937 3/1959 Vines ..229/16 R 2,732,062 i/l956 Pratt et al ..229/16R Primary Examiner-Evon C. Biunk Assistant Examiner-Alfred N. GoodmanAnomey Waters, Roditi, Schwartz & Nissen [5 7] ABSTRACT A folding cartoncomprising a blank of sheet material folded to form a tube having atleast one plane side wall and at least at one end of the tube an endwall. The end wall consists of a flap cut out in the plane side wall ofthe tube and folded an angle of 180 along a first fold line towards andbeyond the end of the tube and then is folded along a second fold lineto cover the end of the tube.

10 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures Patented April 4, 1972 3,653,579

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented April 4, 1972 3,653,579

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.4

Fig.6

Fig.6

Patented April 4, 1972 3,653,579

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.9 34 35 35 29a 33 FOLDING CARTON CONSISTING OF ASTRIP OF SHEET MATERIAL FOLDED TO FORM A TUBE AND PROVIDED WITH ENDWALLS Folding cartons usually consist of a strip of sheet materialfolded to form a tube and provided with endwalls consisting of flapsprotruding beyond the longitudinal side edges of the substantial stripwith respect to the folding direction of the strip, which flaps arefolded to close the ends of the tube. Thus, a considerable waste ofsheet material arises due to the fact that the total width of the stripincluding the flaps to a high degree exceeds the length of the tube, thecut away material of thestrip intermediate said flaps constituting purewaste material. It is also known to use separate end walls attached tothe ends of the tube as a substitute for protruding closure flaps. Thusan essential reduction of consumption of material is obtained. but aconsiderable technical complication is involved in handling andattaching said end walls. A certain saving of material can be obtainedif the end walls are formed by U-shapedtongues cut from one of the sidewalls of the tube and folded inwardly 90 to cover the end openings ofthe tube and to abut against the inner surfaces of the tube at adistance from the ends of the tube. The width of the strip,

however, cannot be fully used because projecting edges are formed at theends of the folding carton, which edges form an unemployed space and awaste of material that cannot be eliminated. A further disadvantage isthat the outersurfaces of the end walls of the ready-folded cartonconsist of the surface of the strip of material facing theinterior ofthe tube when the tube is folded. Accordingly, the strip of material, asa rule, has to be glazed or printed on both surfaces. Moreover, thefolded carton cannot be folded around an object to be packed but'has tobe finished before the object is inserted into the folded carton.

This invention relates to a folded carton consisting of a strip of sheetmaterial having straight edges, for example a strip of boxboard, foldedto form a tube having at least one plane side wall and at least at oneend of the tube an end wall consisting of a flap cut out and folded froma plane side wall of the tube.

The object of the invention is the provision of a folded carton havingthe advantages of the known folded cartons but not their disadvantages,Le, a folded carton which can be readily manufactured without anyappreciable waste of material. Moreover, the folded carton should besuitable for being manufactured by a strip of sheet material obtainedfrom a storage reel.

These objects are obtained by the folding cartonaccording to theinvention defined by the claims appended hereto.

The invention is characterized in that said flap is folded 180 along afirst fold line towards and beyond one end of said tube and then isfolded along a second fold line to cover this end of the tube. Thus, thefolding carton can be finished without the end walls being folded tointerfere into the interior of the folding carton, and the distancebetween the end walls of the folding carton is equal to the total widthof the blank of sheet material, i.e., no dead space is formed at theends of the folding carton. By dimensioning the width and length of thecut out flap larger than the cross section dimensions of the tube it ispossible to provide the flap with edge portions which foldedperpendicular to the plane of the flap apply against the outer surfacesof the side walls of the end of said tube. The opening formed by saidflap cut out in the side wall or walls of the tube can be covered by anadditional side wall of the tube so that a completely closed foldedcarton is obtained.

A very essential advantage of the folded carton according to theinvention is that a strip of sheet material can be used being printed orhaving a surface treatment on only one side without the printed side ofthe end walls being turned inwardly.

A folded carton having the printed side of all side walls turnedoutwardly is accordingly obtained if the folding carton is designed asset forth in claim 4. An additional side wall of the tube covering theopening formed by the end wall flap may consist of a strip of preferablytransparent material glued to the blank of sheet material, which stripcan be glued to the and fro betweentwo opposing side wallsand form aplurality of parallelcompartments in the longitudinal direction of thetube. Also an embodiment'of this kind is obtained without waste ofmaterial. The provision of compartments of this kind in connection withknown folding cartons having projecting end wall flaps is accompanied byan outrageously high consumption of material.

The invention will be better understood from the following descriptionof various embodiments of folding cartons in accordance with theinvention, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. I

FIG: I is a perspective view of a first stage of finishing of a foldingcarton.

FIGS. 2 to 3 illustrate, in perspective view, three different stagesofvthe finishing of a folding canon,

FIG.4 illustrates, in perspective view, a folding carton having an endwall provided with edge portions intended to be applied against the endportion of the tube,

FIG. 5 illustrates, in perspective view, a modification of the cartonshown in FIG.'4 before the closing of the end of the tube,

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate, in perspective view, two embodiments of acarton in accordance with the invention and provided with interiorcompartments,

' FlG..8 illustrates, in perspective view, a modification of the cartonshown in FIGS. 1 to 3,

FIGS. 9 to 12 illustrate, in plan views, an end view and a side view,respectively, different steps of the finishing of a carton provided withlockable end flaps,

FIG. 13 is an end view of a carton having reinforced side walls, and

FIG. 14 is an end view of a modification of the carton shown in FIGS. 9to 12.

In FIG.1 a tube is shown having a rectangular cross section and beingformed by winding astrip of boxboard. The tube is provided with a topwall consisting of two walls 1, 2, two narrow side walls 3, 4 to whichend portions 5, 6 of the strip are glued, and a bottom wall. Two flaps7, 8 are cut out in the top wall 1 which flaps in FIG. 2 are shownfolded back an angle of 180 beyond the ends of the tube and in FIG. 3are shown folded down further an angle of so that the flapsarepositioned to cover the ends of the tube. At each end of the flaps 7, 8a fold-line'9, 10 is provided defining an edge portion intended to befoldedin between the flaps and the inside of the bottom wall of thetube. v

The folding carton shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is especially suitable forpacking frozen products since an edge ll, 12 protruding from the wall 2is formed at each end of the carton permitting circulation of airbetween the cartons of a stack of cartons.

Since in many cases and especially in packing frozen products thecontent of the carton is airtight enclosed in a special bag, the wall 2and the end portion 6 can be omitted in the carton shown in FIGS. 1 to3, in which case an open-topped carton is achieved. The projectingfolded edges 11 and 12 in this case form a reinforcement of the edges ofthe opening.

From FIGS. 1 to 3 is evident that the flaps 7 and 8 can be cut out fromthe lower wall 2. In this case, of course, the flaps are folded outbefore folding the wall I to the position shown in FIG. 1. The wall 1and the end portion 5 can be designed as a hinged cover.

In order to achieve an improved tightening between the flaps 7, 8 andthe ends of the tube the flaps 7, 8 suitably include a portion of theadjacent walls 4 and 5, as shown in FIG. 4. Thus, the dimensions of theflaps 7, 8 exceed the dimensions of the cross section of the tube sothat edge portions 13 are formed which folded perpendicular to theplanes of the flaps can be inserted along the insides of the walls ofthe end portions of the tube. If desired, the wall 2 may be providedwith a tear-off line so that a hinged cover is obtained in at least apart of the opening in the wall 1. As an alternative the edge portions13 of these flaps 7, 8 can be joined at their corners and be pushed onthe outsides of the end portions of the tube. A carton of this kind canbe easily opened and closed by one of the flaps and is especiallysuitable as a cigarette packet.

FIG. 5 discloses an embodiment similar to the carton shown in Fig. 4 buthaving the wall 2 omitted and replaced by a strip 14 of for instancetransparent material, which strip is glued to the inside of the tube andextends beyond the ends of the tube. The projecting end portions of thestrip 14 can be provided with transversal seals and can be folded intothe tube before the closing of the carton by means of the flaps 7, 8. Ifdesired the strip may be arranged to cover only the end opening of thetube.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which a very highsaving of material is obtained. The folding carton consists of anelongated strip of material which is folded in a similar way as is shownin FIG. 1 but which extends from the end portion 6, shown in FIG. 1, ina plurality of curves 15 to and fro between the walls 3 and 4 to whichwalls the curved portions are glued so that a plurality of parallel,longitudinal compartments are formed in the tube. The ends of the tubeare closed by flaps 7, 8 in the same way as is shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. ifa closed carton is desired the provision of the flaps 7, 8 cause anincrease of the length of the blank by the distance corresponding to thewidth of the flaps. If, on the contrary, the flaps are positioned, aspriorly known, beyond the longitudinal side edges of the strip aconsiderable waste of material occurs due to the fact that all thematerial of the elongated strip between the projecting spaced flaps islost. A similar waste of material occurs if the known carton is windedin the modified way shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment in which the double walls 1, 2 areformed by folding back the blank of sheet material in the directioncontrary to the winding direction.

Although the folding cartons shown on the drawings have a rectangularcross section it is evident that the cartons can have various crosssections, provided a plane side wall is present in which the flap orflaps can be cut out.

FIG. 9 illustrates the unprinted side of a blank of boxboard cut from aweb of material wound on a bobbin and having only one printed side. Atthe same time as the blank is cut from the web two end wall flaps 21, 22are cut, which flaps are connected to the rest of the blank at the foldlines 23, 24.

The blank is divided by fold lines into a narrow side wall 25, a broadside wall 26, a narrow side wall 27, a broad side wall 28, a narrow sidewall 29a, 29b, and a fastening flap 30. The fastening flap 30 isconnected to theside wall 29a, 2917 by two narrow strips 31, 32, whichremain after the cutting of the end wall flaps 21, 22 and their sideedges 33 and locking tongues 34. In FIG. 9 the end wall flaps 21, 22 areshown folded back beyond and eventually glued to the narrow strips 31,32.

FIG. 10 illustrates the blank shown in FIG. 9 but folded along a centralfold line on the side wall 29a, 29b at the same time as glueing isperformed of the side portions applied against each other, which gluedside portions are unprinted.

In FIG. 11 the narrow side wall 27 has been folded up perpendicular tothe side wall 28, the broad side wall 26 has been folded in parallel toside wall 28, and the narrow side wall 25 has been folded down and gluedagainst the folded-up side wall 290. After folding of the edge walls 33perpendicular to the end wall flaps 21, 22 and joining of the comers ofsaid edge walls in a suitable way, the end wall flaps 21, 22 can befolded against the ends of the carton and at the same time the lockingtongues 34 can be inserted into slots 35 in the narrow side walls 25,27, as shown in FIG. 12.

Additionally or as an alternative locking tonques 34 may be arranged atthe remaining edge wall of the flaps 21, 22 and inserted into slots inthe broad side wall 26. This is possible if a strip of waste materialarises in an interspace between the flaps 21, 23 at cutting these flapsand their edge walls 33. If

not, a locking tongue 34 of one of the end wall flaps is to be cut fromthe adjacent edge wall of the other end wall flap, and the reverse,which decreases the stiffness of the end wall flaps.

Eventually, the locking tongues of at least one of the end wall flapsmay be omitted and a corresponding locking be obtained by glueing ormerely by spring action.

Especially at large cartons it may be suitable to use double side walls,as shown in FIG. 13, to obtain an increased stiffness of the narrow sidewalls which may be required when cartons are stacked lying one on theother. In order to have the visible joint between wall 26 and the doublewalls 29a, 29b positioned at an edge of the carton it is suitable toposition the wall 25 on the inside of wall 29b in order to avoid wasteof material. Any additional glueing beside the corners of the edge walls33 of the flaps 21, 22 is not necessary, especially if the flaps areprovided with locking tongues 34 which suitably are inserted into slots35 extending through the double side walls.

If an open-topped carton is desired the side walls 25, 26 in FIGS. 12and 13 can be omitted. The narrow side walls are in this case supportedby the edge walls 33 of the flaps 21, 22 and, eventually, by the lockingtongues 34.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown and described butfurther modifications are possible within the scope of the inventiondefined by the accompanying claims, and other types of material thanboxboard can be used, e. g., corrugated cardboard. Moreover, the sidewall 25 of the carton shown in FIG. 13 can extend to and fro between thenarrow side walls down towards the side wall 28 to form companments inthe interior of the carton. In this case the necessary stiffness isobtained, as a rule, without using double side walls, and, hence, thecarton can have the shape shown in FIG. 14 which in principle does notdiffer from the carton shown in FIGS. 9 to 12.

In a simple embodiment of the invention the opposed edge walls 33 of theend wall flaps 21, 22 can be omitted. As an alternative the remainingedge wall 33 at the end of the end wall flaps can be omitted or foldedand glued against the flaps 21, 22. This is suitable in connection withan open-topped carton, or if the side wall 26, preferably in theembodiment shown in FIG. 13, should be used as a hinged cover.

What is claimed is:

1. A folding carton consisting of a blank of sheet material havingstraight edges and folded to form a tube having opposite planar sidewalls and at least one end wall, one of said side walls beingconstituted by two overlapped thicknesses of material, said end wallbeing formed by a flap cut out and folded from one of thicknesses ofmaterial of said one side wall, said flap being folded l along a firstfold line towards and beyond one end of said tube and then folded alonga second fold line to cover this end of the tube, said flap when foldedfrom the thickness of material forming an opening in said thickness ofmaterial which is covered by the other thickness of material of saidside wall.

2. A folding carton as claimed in claim 1, wherein the length and widthof said flap (7,8) exceed the cross section dimensions of the tube, theflap being provided with edge portions (13) folded perpendicular to theplane of said flap and applied against the outer surfaces of the sidewalls of the end of said tube.

3. A folding carton as claimed in claim I, wherein the blank of sheetmaterial is printed on only one side, the blank of sheet material beingdouble-folded with the printed side turned out and so that a portion(2l,22,29b,30) of the blank extends along at least a part of theremaining blank, in addition to which the end wall flap (21,22) or eachflap is formed by a part of the blank portion (21,22,19b,30) of thedouble-wall portion of the folding container which has a printed sidefacing the interior of the folding container.

4. A folding carton as claimed in claim 3, wherein the end wall flap(21,22) or each flap is provided with locking tongues (34) inserted intoslots (35) of at least one of the adjacent side walls (25,27) of thefolding container.

5. A folding carton as claimed in claim 1, wherein said other thicknessof material of said side wall consists of a strip (14) of preferablytransparent material glued to the blank of sheet material.

6. A folding carton as claimed in claim 5, wherein said strip 14)attached by glueing is positioned on the inside of the tube and isadapted to form a bag-shaped lining in the tube.

7. A folding carton as claimed in claim 1, wherein said other thicknessof material of said side wall consists of an extension (1 or 2) of theblank of sheet material in the folding direction of the tube.

8. A folding carton as claimed in claim 7, wherein said other thicknessof material of said side wall (2,14) is positioned on the inside of thetube.

9. A folding carton as claimed in claim 7, wherein said other thicknessof material of said side wall (1 is positioned on the outside of thetube and is designed as a hinged cover.

10. A folding carton as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tube is providedwith two opposing plane side walls (3.4), a portion (15) of the blank ofsheet material being folded to and fro between said opposing side walls(3,4) forming a plurality of parallel compartments in the longitudinaldirection of the tube.

I k 10! III

1. A folding carton consisting of a blank of sheet material havingstraight edges and folded to form a tube having opposite planar sidewalls and at least one end wall, one of said side walls beingconstituted by two overlapped thicknesses of material, said end wallbeing formed by a flap cut out and folded from one of thicknesses ofmaterial of said one side wall, said flap being folded 180* along afirst fold line towards and beyond one end of said tube and then foldedalong a second fold line to cover this end of the tube, said flap whenfolded from the thickness of material forming an opening in saidthickness of material which is covered by the other thickness ofmaterial of said side wall.
 2. A folding carton as claimed in claim 1,wherein the length and width of said flap (7,8) exceed the cross sectiondimensions of the tube, the flap being provided with edge portions (13)folded perpendicular to the plane of said flap and applied against theouter surfaces of the side walls of the end of said tube.
 3. A foldingcarton as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blank of sheet material isprinted on only one side, the blank of sheet material beingdouble-folded with the printed side turned out and so that a portion(21,22,29b,30) of the blank extends along at least a part of theremaining blank, in addition to which the end wall flap (21,22) or eachflap is formed by a part of the blank portion (21,22,19b,30) of thedouble-wall portion of the folding container which has a printed sidefacing the interior of the folding container.
 4. A folding carton asclaimed in claim 3, wherein the end wall flap (21,22) or each flap isprovided with locking tongues (34) inserted into slots (35) of at leastone of the adjacent side walls (25,27) of the folding container.
 5. Afolding carton as claimed in claim 1, wherein said other thickness ofmaterial of said side wall consists of a strip (14) of preferablytransparent material glued to the blank of sheet material.
 6. A foldingcarton as claimed in claim 5, wherein said strip (14) attached byglueing is positioned on the inside of the tube and is adapted to form abag-shaped lining in the tube.
 7. A folding carton as claimed in claim1, wherein said other thickness of material of said side wall consistsof an extension (1 or 2) of the blank of sheet material in the foldingdirection of the tube.
 8. A folding carton as claimed in claim 7,wherein said other thickness of material of said side wall (2,14) ispositioned on the inside of the tube.
 9. A folding carton as claimed inclaim 7, wherein said other thickness of material of said side wall (1)is positioned on the outside of the tube and is designed as a hingedcover.
 10. A folding carton as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tube isprovided with two opposing plane side walls (3,4), a portion (15) of theblank of sheet material being folded to and fro between said opposingside walls (3,4) forming a plurality of parallel compartments in thelongitudinal direction of the tube.